Puzzle



(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 20, 18 86.

J. L. DIBBLE.

PUZZLE.

N0. 340,296. F431 E Fajz (Z gel 51 cc g w I, i f

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JOHN L. DIBBLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE.

EPEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,296, dated April20, 1886.

Application filed May 13, 1895. Serial No. 165,259. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JNO. L. DIBBLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brook.- lyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Puzzle, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of puzzles which consist of a seriesof pieces susceptible of being arranged in contact, and to thus form asymmetrical figure; and it consists in forming from suitable material aseries of pieces each in the form of a rectangular parallelogram, theseries being susceptible of being arranged in contact in the form of asquare, the pieces being of varying dimensions and so proportioned as tofurnish no index of the relative positions in which they should beplaced to attain the end.

The following is what Iconsider the best means of carrying out theinvention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which forma partof this specification, and in which Figure 1 shows the puzzle in acomplete form. Fig. 2, which is drawn to the same scale as Fig. 1, showsthe several pieces comprising the square, together with an additionalpiece, the uses of which will be hereinafter explained, all arranged inthe order of their respective sizes. Figs. 3 and4 show modified plansupon which the dimensions and propor tions of the parts of the devicemay be based.

Any material susceptible of being worked into and having sufficientrigidity to retain the described forms may be used. Sheet metal,pasteboard, thin wood, 850., are suitable. The size of the square havingbeen chosen, it is to be divided into a series of rectangularparallelograms. This I call the primary division.

Part or all of the resulting pieces are to be again divided in suchmanner that the resulting parts will each be in the form of arectangular parallelogram, and that all of the parts may be as nearly asis practicable of uniformly varying sizes. This I call the subdivision.

In Fig. 1 the plain dividing-lines indicate the primary division, andthe short lines, bordered by rows of dots, indicate the subdivision. InFigs. 3 and i the primary divisionv only is shown.

The method of making the primary division may be greatly varied; but itis importantthat the resulting parts be of varying dimensions, that thegreater number of the parts be other than aliquot parts of the square,and that the differing dimensions shall not be a geomet ricalprogression. I deem it best that this primary division be made in such amanner that the resulting parts shall be of equal widths and of varyinglengths.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen thatin Fig. 1 the primarydivision results in seven parts of equal width, three of which are threetimes as long as wide, and four of which are four times as long as wide;that the division in Fig. 3 results in six parts of equal width, two ofwhich are twice as long as wide, and four of which are lhree times aslong as wide; that the division in Fig. 4 results in seven parts ofequal Width, two of which are five times as long as wide, two of whichare four times as long as wide, two of which are three times as long aswide, and one of which is square. It will be observed that in each casethe division results in a series of parts of equal width. WVhile thisfeature is not essential and may be departed from, I deem it desirable,as it facilitates the subdivision of the parts into a uniformlygraduatedseries.

It is desirable that the primary division be such that its plan may notbe easily discovered; but it should be borne in mind that thesubdivision will increase the number of parts and correspondinglydecrease their dimensions. Care should therefore be used that theseeffects may be kept within suitable limits.

In making the subdivision the aim should be to produce a series ofparts, each in the form oi'a rectangular parallelogram, the whole beingas nearly as possible of uniformly-graduated sizes, the dimensions ofthe parts in creasing by equal increments and not in geometricalprogression. The practicability of doing this will be governed by theplan adopted in making the primary division. The difference between anyone part and another should be sufficient to be apparent, and in somecases it will prove impracticable to produce a single series of uniformgraduation without making the difference between the parts too slight.In such cases the parts may be separated in two or more groups, each ofwhich may be separately subdivided, so that its resulting parts may beof uniform gradua tion. In other cases the difiiculty may be obviated byomitting to subdivide one or more of the parts resulting from theprimary divis- 'ion, and so subdividing the remainder that these partsmay, without change, serve to complete the graduation of the whole. Thepart i in Fig. 3'and the parts It and Z in Fig. 4 are instances in whichthis course may be followed to advantage.

Fig. 1 shows the square divided in fourteen parts. It is evident that ifthe sum of the superficial areas of the several part-s be computed thatthe square root of this sum will [5 equal the length of one side of thesquare. That this fact may not be used as an aid to the solution of thepuzzle, and to further in crease the difficulty of such solution, Iintrodueeasupernumerary piece ofsimilar form and make it a part of thegraduated series. (See h in Fig. 2.) It being stated as a condition ofthe solution that one piece of the series is to be discarded, it will beimpossible to form and perfect the square unless the right piece isfirst discovered and discarded, which in practice it will be found verydifiicult to do. \Vhile I deem the introduction of such supernumerarypiece a valuable feature of my invention, it may be omitted. The puzzleas otherwise described is substantially complete in itself and difficultof solution. It should be determined whether or not the supernumerarypiece is to be used before making the subdivision, that the graduationof the parts may 5 be made accordingly. \Vhen the subdivision is made intwo or more series, the supernumerary piece may beincorporated in eitherof them.

In making the primary and subdivisions it is not necessary that asquarebe actually made and divided. The dimensions of the square and the planof the primary division being decided upon, any competent draftsman willbe able to lay it out on paper, and from it make the subdivision andcompute the exact dimensions of each of the resulting parts.

Each of the parts may be made to dimen- V sions separately from theothers, and the whole afterward be properly assembled. \Vhen they -aremade of sheet material, the rectangular form of the pieces facilitatesthe cutting, permits such cutting to be done with the usual appliancesfor the purpose, and contributes to the economical use of the material.

An important feature of the puzzle is its usefulness for advertisingpurposes, especially of wares for domestic or personal use. For

such purposes the puzzle may be made of cardboard or similar material,and suitable designs or inscriptions be printed on a part or all of thepieces, thus producing a series of business cards, which, by reason oftheir interest and value as a puzzle, will probably be preserved intactand be frequently exposed in home and social circles. The rectangularform of the pieces makes them most suitable to receive advertisinginscriptions and designs, and also greatly facilitates the operations ofprinting and cutting, whether the pieces are first cut and afterwardseparately printed, or are printed in sheets and afterward cut andassembled.

Other than the described modifications may be made without departingfrom the principle of the invention-as, for instance, the subdivisionmay be so made as to result either in a series of parts of graduatedwidth and of uniform length, or in a series in which both length andwidth are graduated.

' It is to be understood that in the solution of the puzzle the partsare to be placed in close contact, edge to edge, without open spacesbetween them, and that the superfic al area of the square so formedshall be equal to the aggregate superficial area of all of the parts,except in cases where the supernumerary piece, as described, isintroduced. In

such cases the superficial area of the square shall be equal to theaggregate superficial area of all of the parts, except the supernumerarypiece.

I am aware that a patent was granted to one Scott, dated April 3, 1883,No. 274,980. for an improvement in toy building-blocks, the said blocksbeing each a port-ion of a cube, and the size of the cube being amultiple or a factor of other cubes formed of similar larger or smallerblocks. I therefore do not claim such a device or combination; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A puzzle consisting of one or more series of rectangular piecessusceptible of being arranged in contact, edge to edge, in the form of asquare of given dimensions, the pieces in each series being of graduateddimensions and not all of them aliquot parts of, any other piece or ofthe whole square, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a puzzle composed of a series of pieces ofvarying dimensions, each piece being in the form of a rectangularparallelogram, and the whole of the pieces susceptible of being arrangedin contact in the form of a square having a superficial area equal tothe aggregate superficial area of the pieces, an additional piece ofsimilar form and of approximate dimensions, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

JNO. L. DIBBLE.

Witnesses:

O. S. DORION, BREADING G. WAY.

IIO

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